The James Moody and Hank Jones Quartet – Our Delight – IPO

by | Sep 19, 2008 | Jazz CD Reviews | 0 comments

The James Moody and Hank Jones Quartet – Our Delight – IPO (no number) *****:

(James Moody, tenor sax & flute; Hank Jones, piano; Todd Coolman, bass; Adam Nussbaum, drums)

What an appropriate title for this CD – because it is a complete delight!  Two of the top names in jazz today, with a combined experience of around 140 years!  The music of Dizzy Gillespie and Tadd Dameron provided the starting point for putting the album together and the dozen tunes are all winners.  Moody turns to his flute for both his own tune Darben the Red Foxx and the classic Old Folks.  The last of the 12 tracks, written for Moody by Jimmy Heath and titled Moody’s Groove, features a vocal by Roberta Gambarini.

I tend to seek out the flute tracks for some reason, but my favorite of the disc is the pairs’ version of Dizzy’s lovely Con Alma with Moody on tenor. (Dizzy was one of Moody’s tutors.)  There’s not a dud among the dozen tracks.  These guys play their hearts out like they’re in their 20s.  The sonics are excellent too, and there’s fine portraits of both performers on the inside.  You couldn’t go wrong with this most listenable album!

TrackList:  Our Delight, Birk’s Works, Con Alma, Lady Bird, Eternal Triangle, Body and Soul, Good Baits, Darben the Red Foxx, Soul Trane, Woody ‘N You, Old Folks, Moody’s Groove.

 – John Henry

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